1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to dispensing and more particularly to a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid having a manual actuator. More particularly, this invention relates to a manually actuated pump having an actuator movable between an extended position and a retracted position with means for preventing the movement of the actuator in either the extended position or the retracted position.
2. Background of the Invention
Hand operated pumps have become more popular in recent years to dispense a wide variety of products such as cleaning products, lubricating products, personal care products and the like. In a typical manually actuated pump, the pump comprises a pump body defining an internal pump cylinder for receiving a reciprocating piston slidably disposed within the internal pump cylinder. The manually operated pump is secured to a container for receiving liquid from the container through an eduction tube. A pump stem extends from the pump body for engaging with the piston with a spring biasing the piston and the pump stem into an extended position. An actuator is secured to the pump stem for enabling an operator to reciprocate the piston. A plurality of one-way valves are disposed within the pump body for enabling the liquid internal the container to be dispensed from a terminal orifice upon reciprocation of the actuator between the extended position and a retracted position.
Typically, two types of actuators have been used in the prior art for reciprocating the pump stem between the extended and the retracted position. The first type of actuator is commonly referred to as a finger pump wherein the pump stem is reciprocated by the index finger of an operator. The second type of actuator is commonly referred to as a trigger pump wherein a trigger is pivotally mounted relative to the pump body to reciprocate the pump stem by the fingers of an operator.
It has been found that in certain circumstances, especially in finger operated pumps, it is desirable for the pump stem to be locked to inhibit dispensing of the manual operated pump during shipping or the like. Various means have been devised in the prior art for locking the pump stem in the extended position upon rotation of either the pump stem or a collar disposed about the pump stem. Others in the prior art have used various means to lock the pump stem in a depressed position by either rotation of the pump stem or a collar disposed about the pump stem.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,498,308 to Samuels et al relates to a sprayer having three positions of spray control. The three positions of spray control include a locked position, an intermittent or push-button position, and an automatic continuous position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,761 to Clevenger et al discloses a reciprocable plunger hand pump having a floating sleeve slidable in a barrel and limited in axial movement relative to the plunger by a check valve integral with the sleeve. A liquid seal is established when the sleeve is wedged between the plunger and a collar whereat the valve closes liquid inlet orifices in the plunger by engagement with a seat. The collar has a skirt adapted to support a cover cap and shiftable to mount container caps of various top thicknesses.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,788 to Tanaka discloses a finger-operated atomizer pump for separating a liquid from a container. When a piston is pushed down or is pushed up by a resiliency of a coiled spring, a valve body is moved vertically to open or close a passage hole connecting an inner chamber of a cylinder and a central hole of the piston.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,120 to Sette discloses an aerosol having a stem for the actuation of a valve with a rotatable captive safety overcap. The overcap may be rotated, axially depressed, and rotated again with respect to said aerosol to operate the stem. When properly positioned to actuate the aerosol, the overcap is locked maintaining the aerosol in its spraying operation without attention, and the manipulation of the overcap must be reversed to stop the spray action.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,162,746 to Anderson discloses a liquid dispenser having a relatively rotatable closure, sleeve and plunger members. The plunger members could be locked against reciprocation of the plunger member by a misalignment between ribs and grooves therebetween.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,158 to Ford discloses a vent sealing lock down pump wherein a plunger may be locked down after a full depression stroke so that the overall height of the pump assembly and a container can be significantly reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,230 to Marelli discloses a pump comprising a flexible ring piston within a chamber cooperating with a stem valve to enable or interrupt the outward flow of the fluid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,746 to Schultz discloses an improved modular lotion pump having a rotatable locking sleeve for preventing accidental dispensing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,347 to Tran discloses a pump for dispensing a protective fluid wherein a container is provided with a cap having a series of alignment bores for receiving tubular projections to enable reciprocation of the pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,025,9567 to Linsenbigler discloses a safety sprayer having a spray head being selectively locked in a first position and unlocked upon a 90 degree rotation of the spray head relative to an associated closure top.
Although the aforementioned prior references have contributed to the dispensing art, none of these prior art references has achieved the universal needs of the consumer. The manually operated pumps that lock in an extended position have the advantage of locking in the extended position after initial use without dispensing any product during the locking process. However, the manually operated pumps that lock in the extended position require larger shipping containers. Larger shipping containers may be desirable for distinctive products to enhances the desirability and appearance of the container of the product but are a distinct disadvantage for cost conscious products. The manually operated pumps that lock in the retracted position have the distinct disadvantage of dispensing liquid product during the locking process after the initial use of the pump.
Accordingly, none of the prior art references have provided a manually operated pump that solves the universal needs of being able to be locked in either the extended position or the retracted position.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container that may be locked in either an extended or retracted position.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container that is easy to lock in either the extended position or the retracted position.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container wherein the sequence to lock the pump in the extended position is identical with the sequence to lock the pump in the retracted position.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid within a container wherein the manually operated pump is simple to operate by the operator.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container that does not appreciably increase material cost of the manually operated pump.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container that is easy to assemble.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container that does not appreciably increase the overall cost of the pump.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container wherein the actuator remains aligned during actuation by an operator.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container wherein the actuator may be locked and unlocked with a rotation of the actuator of only ninety degrees.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container wherein the locking mechanism is internal the pump body to inhibit contamination from product residue and the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide a manually actuated pump for dispensing a liquid from a container wherein the manufacturer of the product has the option of shipping a product with the actuator in either the extended position or the retracted position.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention with in the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.